|
Author
|
Topic: The Thunderlog
|
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
|
posted 25 October 2003 05:10 PM
profile send email edit
Got an e-mail from German musician, producer & and engineer, Martin Huch. He's developed a new multi-neck steel prototype based on a rotating hub concept and would like feedback from players. Go to:
http://www.martinhuch.de Cick on Thunderlog, then "English" in the upper right of the Thunderlog page.
|
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
|
posted 25 October 2003 07:41 PM
profile edit
Oh good, I thought this was another spam offer..... |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Austin, Texas
|
posted 25 October 2003 08:34 PM
profile send email edit
Wow; what a cooooool Idea..
------------------
Ricky Davis 
My Homepage
Rebel™ and Ricky's Audio Clips
www.mightyfinemusic.com
Email Ricky: sshawaiian@austin.rr.com |
Dave Van Allen
Member From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth
|
posted 25 October 2003 09:02 PM
profile send email edit
man the details of the engineering are very interesting... magnetic switches, swappable necks... spiffy! |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
|
posted 25 October 2003 10:59 PM
profile send email edit
I believe Ron Popeil already invented something like this, but instead of rotating necks, he used chickens. Twelve minutes per lb. I believe.All right...... It's quite innovative. The Gattling Gun of steel guitars. Would love to see some reviews (from anyone but George Foreman)....  |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
|
posted 26 October 2003 03:22 AM
profile send email edit
Roll over, Harlan Multichord! |
Roger Shackelton
Member From: Everett, Wa.
|
posted 26 October 2003 03:31 AM
profile send email edit
This idea is not new. I saw a similar 4 neck steel guitar in the mid 1970s at the Roy Acuff Museum in Opryland. Roger |
Graham Griffith
Member From: Glebe, N.S.W., Australia
|
posted 26 October 2003 04:07 AM
profile send email edit
What's it weigh in the case? I thought one of the ideas (retropective of course) of lap steels was to avoid the bulk and inconvenience of pedal steels and other heavy objects. Nonetheless, it does look pretty wild. Graham |
David L. Donald
Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
|
posted 26 October 2003 04:37 AM
profile send email edit
Reinventing the wheel again??
Cool, but I bet heavy also. Looks like Danelectro pickups too.It reminds me of those harmonica wheels the Harmonicats played in the 50's and 60's.
I got to play all of them about 30 years ago, when I still played harp. |
Al Braun
Member From: Dunnellon, FL
|
posted 26 October 2003 05:03 AM
profile send email edit
Truly, it's not new. You've heard the saying, "Nothing under the sun...etc.) Several years ago I started a post about a picker in west Florida building a 4 X 4 or 6 X 6 four sided steel. The replies were quite lengthy if old grey cells still serve me. The instrument really looks good and is sure to attract attention, but I have to agree, the guitar and stand must weigh a bunch. He certainly has done some beautiful work, I'll congratulate him on that. How would you put it in a case, suspend it on the end pivots? You sure couldn't lay it down anywhere without laying it on a working side, sorry, they used to call me "Cold Water Al" for knocking new ideas. Again, beautiful craftsmanship.
Al |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
|
posted 26 October 2003 05:12 AM
profile send email edit
It seems to me, that this setup would fall short for someone who hops rapidly from neck to neck.A few years ago, when I saw Big Sandy and The Fly Rite Boys, Lee Jeffries was constantly jumping back & forth between 3 necks. I can't imagine this being done with a rotisserie style steel.[This message was edited by HowardR on 26 October 2003 at 05:13 AM.] |
Bill Creller
Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
|
posted 26 October 2003 08:17 AM
profile send email edit
I would have to agree with Howard, Duke Ching is all over his triple and quad Stringmasters. The German guy has six string necks...why not more strings for all that work on a project that size??
Just an observation.
Bill |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
|
posted 26 October 2003 08:53 AM
profile send email edit
He did state that this was just a prototype and used 6 strings. Any configuration could be used.Let's take it a step further. How about a "Harmos Wheel" with 4 necks. That would be much lighter & really cooler looking. Sage? |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
|
posted 26 October 2003 09:36 AM
profile send email edit
My reaction? Interesting engineering solution to an age old problem with a lot of thought and effort obviously extended but ultimately, the instrument lacks - for want of a word - "poetry". Stringmasters and customs are poetic. |
Rick Collins
Member From: Claremont , CA USA
|
posted 26 October 2003 10:37 AM
profile send email edit
If one can't quite deceide what tuning one wishes to use on a certain tune, just give this thing a good spin and the one that lands on top is the one you use....kinda' like, tuning roulette. Rick |
Alvin Sydnor
Member From: Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, USA
|
posted 26 October 2003 12:59 PM
profile send email edit
I agree with Roger, It's not a new idea, I also saw one at the Roy Acuff Museum. How does he pack it for travel?
Alvin |
Ron Whitfield
Member From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
|
posted 26 October 2003 03:06 PM
profile send email edit
And Carvin had an over/under flipper in the '50s, but the limitations are obvious. Who knows, maybe this one will improve to something quite workable for those with more needs. What an eye popper! |
Jeff Au Hoy
Member From: Honolulu, Hawai'i
|
posted 26 October 2003 06:05 PM
profile send email edit
I think it would make a lot of people laugh and shake their heads here. |
Donald Ruetenik
Member From: Pleasant Hill, California, USA
|
posted 27 October 2003 01:39 PM
profile send email edit
That stand looks pretty shakey. If it started teeter-taughtering from some aggressive playing or another bandmate prancing around and bumping into it, could the Thunderlog survive a fall? I'd have a stand like keyboards are mounted on that wouldn't move (Ultimate Support Systems). I like the plug in the tightening knob. That makes it alot easier to give it a spin for 'tuning roulette'. How about two D-8s sandwiched back to back on a 'spit'? |
Gary Slabaugh
Member From: Scottsdale, AZ
|
posted 28 October 2003 09:15 AM
profile send email edit
Now I need to pick a steel, put on my picks and play. With that instrument you would need to make sure you zipped up too! The comment and spinning around to find the right tuning brings another dimension to "bowling for nots/chords". |
Bob Stone
Member From: Gainesville, FL, USA
|
posted 30 October 2003 04:49 PM
profile send email edit
Roger Shackleton is right. There is one in the Roy Acuff Museum. It is one of two built for Neal "Pappy" McCormick (b. 1909) of De Funiak Springs (east of Pensacola), Florida, who claims to have invented it. Pappy died a few years ago. His daughter, Juanealya McCormick Sutton, self-published a 200-page hardcover biography about her father,"The Man Behind The Scenes." The book contains many photos of Pappy and his "contraption" four-neck rotating electric steel posing with Tex Ritter, Gene Autry, Acuff, et al, and and even a drawing , dated 1946, one would assume was intended for patent application application. (The photo caption for the drawing says the invention was patented.) I think Juanealya is still selling the books. As I recall they are $10 postpaid. I don't have her number handy, but easily tracked her down via directory assistance De Funiak Springs about a year ago. If you like homespun musician/steel guitar biographies this is a great one. Lots of cool photos, albeit somewhat poorly reproduced. I love this sort of stuff and would highly recommend the book--a real bargain. Pappy supposedly taught Hank Williams how to play rhythm guitar correctly. He was chief of the Muscogee Creeks for a while and the book includes some photos of him in full-length feathered headress. Pappy's first band was the "Hawaiian Troubadours." He allegedly passed as Hawaiian because at that time (1930s) Indians were not allowed to do business in Alabama for more than a few days. The book includes some great photos of the group and their car painted with the group name, etc. I met him in the mid 1990s when he was in his 80s and he was still playing steel for several regular gigs. His older brother was playing the fiddle. |
The Steel Guitar Forum
